tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post2835890208590904007..comments2023-09-21T04:02:29.457-04:00Comments on Skeptical Scalpel: Law school revamps final year curriculum. Will med schools ever do the same?Skeptical Scalpelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-67713515703931262432012-10-25T15:33:26.767-04:002012-10-25T15:33:26.767-04:00Thanks for commenting. I agree that the residency ...Thanks for commenting. I agree that the residency application/interview situation is way out of control. The same thing happens with residents looking for fellowships. These are well-known and long-standing problems that no one does anything about.Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-52968432230422481902012-10-25T14:07:06.090-04:002012-10-25T14:07:06.090-04:00Current 4th year here, applying to EM. I'll a...Current 4th year here, applying to EM. I'll argue the problems with 4th year cut both ways. Who can blame students applying to 40+ residency programs for competitive specialties if they take reading electives or 'research' months when the expectation is that they will need to interview at 20 different programs to secure a residency spot? That is incompatible with serious clinical duties during interview season (October-January). Now I think some of the residency madness is a bit of a US-Soviet style arms race but it's not changing soon.<br /><br /><br />For useful months: any ICU time is invaluable along with anesthesia and radiology. EM Guynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-66645599341244865122012-10-25T09:39:20.364-04:002012-10-25T09:39:20.364-04:00I don't think it is a bad idea to use it that ...I don't think it is a bad idea to use it that way. I actually am sad I didn't have more time to take other electives or a research rotation. Over half my 4th yr is required clerkships, like primary care clinics, peds, and psych, and the other half is Sub-Is, time off for interviews, and surg electives. My last rotation is "prep for surgery internship", which is good because I am taking gen surg mid-3rd yr.<br />Other people I know interested in global health are doing mission work, etc the latter part. This isn't resume padding but instead exploring options for future practice and volunteerism. This would be hard to do if we didn't have flexible scheduling. <br /> I agree that having a static curric is not helping anyone, but I don't think a complete overhaul is necessary. This may be school-dependent, though.SurgeryGirlynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-2389175115905835022012-10-25T07:17:22.138-04:002012-10-25T07:17:22.138-04:00Thanks for the comments. It seems my readers have ...Thanks for the comments. It seems my readers have their acts together (at least these three). Not so for everyone.<br /><br />I'm not sure that med school should be shorter, but I think the fourth year needs work. SurgeryGirly, should fourth year be about giving yourself an advantage in the application process?<br /><br />Philip, it's nice to know that they still don't teach critical care in third year. I bet you got a lot of primary care though.<br /><br />Anon, I wonder how many students really put the fourth year to good use? It would be an interesting thing to study. <br /><br />Skeptical Scalpelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13206922456661320751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-83024910659169834672012-10-24T19:51:29.014-04:002012-10-24T19:51:29.014-04:004th year can be a blow-off year, but I'm not p...4th year can be a blow-off year, but I'm not planning on making it one. I'm deciding between EM and Surgery, but regardless I plan on taking EM (If I go surgery), Anesthesiology, Ortho (If I go EM), and radiology electives post-match. If students are allowed to save 50k, will anyone bother to try and round out their education? But if you force students to spend that extra year, I think quite a few of them try to put it to good use.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-18697118695256787222012-10-24T17:15:15.874-04:002012-10-24T17:15:15.874-04:00Looking at the boot camp curriculum, it seems all ...Looking at the boot camp curriculum, it seems all the topics listed are covered in medical education. "Big" topics such as sepsis, signs of pulmonary embolism, or hemorrhagic shock, are in fact covered multiple times both in the classroom in years one and two, and on the wards. I suspect that either matched residents aren't retaining any of this material, or that it is a medico-legal CYA tactic for the programs and hospitals. Additionally, as a fourth-year student, I would disagree about the value of the final year. I am "rounding out" my education by taking classes that are related to my chosen specialty, and learning basics that I missed in other rotations, such as starting lines and managing ventilators. Philipnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968787219619380438.post-7815865934470368742012-10-24T14:14:18.802-04:002012-10-24T14:14:18.802-04:00My school allows electives both 3rd and 4th year,...My school allows electives both 3rd and 4th year, which allowed me to narrow down my surgical interests early in 3rd year. This let me start a research project in the field, and to start making contacts early. If you are self-motivated and have flexibility, you can really give yourself an advantage in the application process. <br />I don't think they will ever make it shorter just due to the timing of res applications. I think most of the schools are offering counseling services during that time, and want to get paid for it.SurgeryGirlynoreply@blogger.com